Automatic feeding mechanism for ground alfalfa.



W. H. KISSBL.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GROUND ALPALFA.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1911.

1,031,073. Patented July 2,1912.

3 SHEBTSSHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH (30., WASHINGTON, D. C.

W. H. KISSEL. AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GROUND ALFALFA. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOOHAPH (ID-.WASHINGTON, n. C.

W. H. KISSEL'.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GROUND ALFALFA.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 26, 1911.

1,031,073, Pa ented July 2, 1912.

3SHEETS-SHEET3.

45 m 38 37 I o 1- z 'rm COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON. Dv c.

unrrnn s'rAfrnsrArEnT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. KISS'EL, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GROUND ALFALFA.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. KIssnL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feeding Mechanism for Ground Alfalfa, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic feeding mechanism for ground alfalfa, and use ful particularly in connection with the con struction described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 958,254, issued May 17th,1910 to V. H. Kissel, for improvements in alfalfa-meal mixers. The above named patent shows and describes a tank with mechanism for mixing alfalfa meal with molasses, the flow or supply of heated molasses being regulated, the alfalfa being placed in the tank manually.

The use of the mixing tank, however, as described in said Letters Patent, requires care and attention on the part of the operator to regulate the supply of alfalfa in order that the product, after the ingredients have passed through the mixer will contain the proper proportions.

The invention has for its object to provide mechanism, by use of which a uniform supply of ground alfalfa or alfalfa meal may be automatically delivered to the mixing tank, said mechanism to be of simple construction, durable in use, economical in manufacture, and effective for the measurement and movement of the material.

The invention includes, among other features, the use of a compression-chamber of wedge-shape, in which the ground alfalfa is subjected to a uniform pressure; a hop per; a boot or tapered receiving bin; a carrier forming the bottom of the compressionchamber and arranged to move in an inclined plane below and near the lower terminal of one of the walls of said chamber, thereby forming a horizontal aperture for the passage of the alfalfa material, the carrier being provided at uniform intervals with transverse engaging-strips which may be said to operate, in a manner, to measure the alfalfa as it is moved out of the chamber, a vertically adjustable detent-bar, plate or gate being also employed so that the size or area of the passageway may be regulated, these devices to be used in connection with an elevator for conveying the alfalfa to the mixing tank, after it has been dis- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 26, 1911.

Patented July 2;, 1912..

Serial No. 635,467.

charged from the compression-chamber, the elevator delivering the material to the mixing tank in uniform quantities from the boot or tapered receiving bin.

WVith the above named objects in View and others, as hereinafter set forth, the invention consists of the novel construct-ion, combination and arrangement of parts. as described herein and claimed, and as illus trated in the drawings, it being understood that changes in form, size, proportion and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a broken away, side view, partly in sectionof my newly invented feedmechanism, and parts connected therewith. F ig. 2 is a front view showing a part of the elevator and hopper, a part of the compressionchamber and boot being broken away. 3 is a view somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 2, the front sides of the hopper, compression-chamber and boot being removed, gear wheels and a driving shaft being added. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing the front of the adjustable detentbar or gate and relative position of the parts connected therewith. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing the end of the adjustable detent bar and its mounting, and relative position of other parts within the compression-chamber. Figs. 6 and 7 are, respectively, side and end views, showing the preferred form for the sprocket wheels used in connection with one of the endless carriers.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description, numeral 8 indicates an upright support or frame, preferably formed by use of the pair of front posts 9 and the rear posts 10 suitably braced and providing a support at the upper parts thereof for the box or inclosure 11, reetangular in plan, and to provide for a" mounting of a hopper 12 upon the top thereof, said hopper having an inclined,flat plate or chute 13 mounted upon its inner side and projecting downwardly and foring ground alfalfa or alfalfa-meal to be discharged uniformly within the tank from hopper 12, so that it may be mixed, in its proper proportion, with molasses.

At 15 is indicated an elevator, consisting of a suitably supported frame or casing 16 with an inclined, endless carrier belt 17 therein, the belt being mounted upon the wheels or rollers 18 of shafts 19, said shafts having bearings in the casing at or near the terminals thereof.

A receiving-bin or boot 20 is provided at the lower part and at the front of frame 8, said receiving-bin having, at its lower end, parallel side wall-portions 21, best shown in Fig. 3, and having upwardly divergent walls 22, its lower end, preferably, having a curved bottom 23.

Casing or chute 16 of the elevator is preferably mounted with its sides disposed between side-portions 21 of the receiving bin. Any suitable means may be provided for causing a rotatable movement of one of shafts 19 to move the carrier-belt, and the cups or containers 24 of the belt will convey the material from the receiving bin and discharge it within tank 14.

Means will now be described for causing a delivery of the ground alfalfa to the receiving bin, from the hopper, the delivery to be substantially uniform in movement and quantity. At 25 is indicated a partition extending between and secured to the side walls of the box structure 11, to provide a bottom for chamber 26, the upper part of the chamber opening upon the hopper, said bottom 25 being inclined downwardly and forwardly, and preferably projecting forwardly of posts 9, within the receiving-bin 20; and the lower terminal of wall 27, at the front of chamber 26, as shown in Fig. 1, is disposed adjacent to said partition or bottom 25, to provide a passageway, indicated at m,

The upper wall of the receiving bin is indicated at 28. It is secured to and extends forward'ly of wall 27, and it provides a support for spring 45 and a lid 29 may be provided to extend from wall or support 28 to the casing 16 of the elevator, and by means of the lid, access may be had to the .interior of the receiving bin, when desired.

I provide the shaft 30 extending through the receiving bin, and having bearings in brackets 31 mounted upon posts 9, said shaft being rotated by any suitable means, and

having a pair of sprocket wheels 32 mounted thereon.

At 33, rearwardly of chamber 26 and adjacent to the rearYend of partition 25, are indicated a pair of sprocket wheels mounted j.' as idlers upon brackets 34 secured to frame 8, and upon wheels 32 and 33 are mounted sprocket chains 35. v

the lower edge of said plate.

At 36 is indicated an endless belt which is secured to chains 35, and disposed transversely upon and secured to the outer side of the belt are ridges or engaging-strips 37.

At 38 is indicated a horizontally disposed detent-bar or plate. It is adapted to'have a vertical adjustment to effect a partial closure of the horizontal aperture or passageway :0.

At 39 are indicated a pair of threaded bolts, supporting or adjusting-arms. Upon wall 27 are mounted brackets or staples 40, and upon the upper side of wall 28 of the receiving bin-are mounted reinforcing plates 41. The detent bar or plate, at its upper edge, may be provided with apertured ledges or sleeves 42 for a mounting upon arms 39, above the terminal collars or bosses 43 of these arms.

Arms 39, preferably, project through wall 28, and may have an upward, sliding move ment while mounted in brackets 40 and reinforcing plates 41, subject to the resistance of springs 44 and 45, mounted thereon, these springs tending to maintain the detent plate in its lowermost position. To provide for a vertical adjustment of the detent-bar or plate, the upper ends of arms 39 have a threaded connection with wing-nuts 46, supported by brackets 40.

Strips 37 are preferably Lshaped in crosssection, and when their bases are secured upon belt 36, the remaining part or flange of each strip projects outwardly of the belt.

In operation, the hopper 12 is completely filled with the ground alfalfa, and the material will be in a compressed condition and will be uniformly compressed at the lowermost part of the wedge-shaped chamber 26, at opening w, the compression mentioned being the result, in part, of the wei ht of the material above it, and in part, by the movement, forwardly of the belt with its engagingstrips. Strips 37 are disposed upon the carrier belt at uniform, longitudinal intervals thereof, and when the belt is moving, the alfalfa material, between the strips of the belt within chamber 26, will be moved forwardly or in a direction of the detent plate; and at this time, a downward pressure of the belt will be supported by partition 25, upon which the belt may slide.

In practice, an adjustment of bar or plate 138 may be made, so that strips 37 may pass quite near, but will not make contact with In instances where the alfalfa is not finely ground, how ever, an adjustment may be made by means of wingnuts 46, so that the detent plate will be in a more elevated position, to enlarge the passageway 39 between the belt and detent plate. In all instances, however, the

material will pass out of chamber 26 within' the receiving bin uniformly, or substantially .so, this beingdue .tothe use of the engage ing-strips 37 spaced equally apart, and the employment of the adjustable detent plate. It will be understood that the forwardly moving material will tend to elevate the detent plate. Springs 45 having bearings upon ledges 42 and support 28 will ordinarily prevent any elevation of said plate, wit-h the result that the discharge of the material will be uniform. However, any hard, foreign substance, which may, inadvertently, engage the detent plate, during operation, will cause the force of springs 45 to be overcome and will cause the plate to move upwardly, and it is a desired feature to permit this upward movement, on occasion, since small rock or similar substances may be intermixed with the alfalfa material, and the upward movement mentioned, oper ates to prevent breakage of some of the parts.

I am aware that resiliently mounted gates have heretofore been employed to effect a partial closure of the passageways of hoppers to regulate the feed of grain in the manufacture of flour, but the same would not be operative for the feed of forage or alfalfa which requires, on account of the rock or similar foreign substances therein, that the detent plate may be slidable upon the supporting-arms or bolts, and separate spring-members are required to prevent an upward sliding movement of the supportingarms, in addition to the spring-members which bear upon the detent plate.

During operation, the outward pressure upon. the detent plate is sustained, in part, by holding-lugs or brackets 47 mounted upon posts 9, and engaging the outer sides, at the ends of the detent plate.

At 48 are indicated deflecting-plates or guides, secured upon the inner side walls of chamber 26. They are disposed parallel with the carrier belt and partition 25, and are inclined inwardly of the chamber so that they will overhang the sprocket chains and edges of the carrier-belt, and in operation they tend to prevent the alfalfa from being disposed between the side walls of the chamber and the sprocket chains.

At 49 is indicated a partition disposed below and parallel with partition 25. It is useful to prevent dust from escaping from the receiving bin.

It will be noted that the inclined plate or chute 13 tends to prevent the passage of alfalfa material to sprocket wheels 33, or to a point rearwardly of the rear end of partition 25, and this feature is desirable for obvious reasons.

The use of sprocket wheels, as ordinarily constructed, for moving a carrier belt to convey ground alfalfa, is attended with objectionable features and is not practical, for the reason that they must be disposed in exposed positions, and the channels between the teeth, will become filled with impacted alfalfa material. To overcome this objectionable feature, I have used the sprocket wheels illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. These wheels differ from ordinary sprocket wheels, principally, in the formation of a sharp edge 50 in the channels 51, between each tooth 52. In this particular construction of the sprocket wheel, a groove 53 extends outward with an outwardly-divergent, transverse curvature from the sleeve 54 of the wheel to the cutting or sharp edge 50 of the channel; and, in operation, when alfalfa material lodges in the channels between the teeth, it will be cut or severed, for the reason that it will be engaged between the sharp edge 50 of a channel and the curved body 55 of the chain link 56, and therefore will not become packed in a manner to fill the spaces or channels between the teeth.

Elevator 15 and receiving bin 20 may be dispensed with, of course, provided a de livery could be made of the ground alfalfa from passageway p directly to the mixing tank. The elevator and receiving bin have been introduced for the reason that, as usually constructed and used, the upper end of the mixing tank is disposed at an altitude considerably above the hopper of the feeding mechanism herein described, and therefore a receiving bin and elevator must be used; by means of which the material will be removed as fast, or with the same degree of regularity as it is delivered to said bin from passageway 79; and the particular form of the receiving bin, as described, is of advantage for this purpose.

Having duly described the several parts and their uses, a further explanation relating to operation is not necessary.

Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. Feeding mechanism, comprising, in combination with a containing chamber l1aving an upright wall, and an inclined bottom disposed below said wall to provide therebetween a horizontal passageway; a movable carrier belt provided with transverse engaging-strips traversing the passageway while supported upon said bottom; means for increasing or decreasing the area of said passageway, comprising a detent plate disposed horizontally adjacent to the upright wall of the chamber and provided with apertured ledges, vertically disposed adjusting-arms provided with bosses at their lower terminals and mounted upon said upright wall to traverse the apertures of said ledges, resilient means connected with and adapted to normally maintain the ledges of the detent plate in contact with the bosses of the adjusting arms, and means supported by the upright wall and mounted upon the adjusting-arms for elevating or lowering said arms.

2. Feeding mechanism, comprising, in

combination .with a containing chamber having a passageway formed. in its side wall adjacent to its bottom; an endless, movable carrier belt provided at longitudinal intervals with transverse angle irons-traversing the passageway; means for increasing or decreasing the area of said passageway comprising a detent plate disposed horizontally adjacent to the side wall of the chamber and provided with apertured ledges, vertically disposed adjusting-arms provided with bosses at their lower terminals and mounted upon the side wall of the containing-chamber to traverse the apertures of said ledges, spring-members connected with and adapted to normally maintain the ledges of the detent plate in contact with the bosses of the adjusting-arms, means for moving the ad justingarms vertically, and secondary spring-members mounted upon and normally resisting one of the vertical movements of the adjusting-arms.

. 3. Feeding mechanism, comprising, in combination with a containing chamber having an upright wall provided with staples and bearing a support, and an inclined bottherebetween a horizontal passageway; a

movable carrier belt provided with transverse engaging-strips traversing the passageway while disposed upon said inclined bot tom; means for increasing or decreasing the area of said passageway, comp-rising a detent plate disposed horizontally adjacent to said upright wall and provided with apert ured ledges, threaded bolts formed with terminal bosses and provided with screw-nuts, said bolts being mounted in said staples and traversing the support and the apertures of said ledges, spring-members bearing upon the ledges and said support to normally maintain the ledges in contact with the bosses of said bolts, and secondary springmembers mounted upon the bolts and bear ing upon the staples to normally maintain the wingnuts in contact with said staples.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM H. KISSEL. lVitnesses 1 HIRAM A. Sronens,

A. F. CLARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

